Race ID IllinoisSenateRaceFor Representation of the Entire State of Illinois Democratic Candidate Alexi Giannoulias versus Republican Candidate Mark Kirk
Major Issues
MARK KIRK Agriculture
Stance: Current Representative Mark Kirk is aimed towards fighting for Illinois farmers and increasing opportunities for the agriculture industry within that state because of the importance that major exports, manufacturing, research, and trade has on the economy of this Midwestern state. To support the farming and agriculture industry, Kirk plans to upgrade river, road, and railing systems; promote the usage and manufacturing of ethanol and biodiesel, expand exports to reach growing markets, and keep taxes low. In accomplishing these goals, Mark Kirk believes that incomes will rise and new jobs will be created throughout Illinois.
Plan of Action: With his goals for enhancing the agriculture industry in the state of Illinois, Mark Kirk vows to modernize the lock-and-dam system of the river infrastructure to upgrade and expand the outreach of water transportation. Also aimed to boost the state’s economic status, this Republican Candidate will invest in rail and interstate highway improvements to make Illinois the national ‘economic crossroads.’ To promote ethanol and biodiesel, Kirk is planning to lower energy costs and support a permanent production tax credit for the usage of renewable hydro, wind, solar, and biomass energy. The lowering of costs for energy will spawn from Kirk’s support of nuclear energy, Yucca Mountain, offshore energy exploration, and the trans-Canada pipeline. By working with new forms of and foreign energy, the cost of the state’s energy is believed to decrease. This, along with the tax credit incentive, will make better and renewable energy more accessible and expand the economic opportunities for Illinois farmers. Beyond his support for foreign energy, Mark Kirk will also fight to expand the Foreign Commercial Service, the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Trade Development Agency as Senator to help Illinois farmers and businesses reach and increase their prominence in growing markets. This expansion to growing markets will advance the exporting of the state and create more job opportunities for Illinoisans. Another method for increasing the availability of jobs and stimulate agricultural growth is to lower taxes o family farmers and small business owners. Kirk has already made strides towards this belief in voting to completely abolish the death tax, double the child tax credit, put an end to the Alternative Minimum Tax, and rid of the marriage penalty. Mark Kirk believes each of these actions has benefitted or will benefit the agricultural industry of Illinois with a Senator status.
Ethics and Reform
Stance: Mark Kirk believes that Illinois was misrepresented in past years by “corrupt politicians who served themselves instead of the people of Illinois” and the state is deserving of “an experienced legislator with a proven record of reform to fight for integrity in public office.” Because of this belief, Kirk sees himself as “something different” that is needed to “restore pride in Illinois.” Not only does this candidate want to see ethics and reform in the office of Illinois’s Senator, he will work to see morality and change through the Congress and Washington.
Plan of Action: To see political morals transform for the better, Mark Kirk will work to bring an end to “pay-to-play” politics, so as to retain a democracy, cancel pensions for Congressional members convicted of a felony by establishing a Congressional integrity and pension Forfeiture Act, support United States Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, and appoint “corruption fighters” to take his and his colleagues places should he retire from service. These actions would clean the political system within Illinois and hopefully the entire Congressional body, as well as ensure taxpayer money funds more trustworthy and moral representation.
Fiscal Responsibility
Stance: Regarding economic responsibility, Mark Kirk is dedicated to stop runaway spending in Congress, as he has already made stride as a Congressman to eliminate unnecessary expenses. Opposing the trillion-dollar stimulus plan proposed by Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and the $407 billion Omnibus Appropriations bill, while offering two amendments to the Pelosi bill that successfully reduced $200 million of spending, Kirk is committed to a fight for a lowering of national spending, which would entail a decrease in taxes as well.
Plan of Action: To continue his fight against fiscal irresponsibility and ensuring that funding is spent wisely, Mark Kirk will continue his outward support of tax relief and proposals for budget reform.
Getting Illinois Working Again
Stance: With the belief that Illinois is in an economic crisis, Illinois Senator Candidate Mark Kirk wants to rescue the state’s economy through an agenda to create jobs, support small business owners and family farmers, and unveil economic development opportunities. Kirk is against the perspective that borrowing in Washington and Springfield, as well as, increasing taxes is the answer to the current recession. Instead of creating more debt and putting the burden on the people, Mark Kirk wants to lower taxes for all Americans, modernize Chicago and transportation systems to increase investment opportunities, job openings, and farmers’ future success; support small and medium sized businesses; and create a greater amount of jobs.
Plan of Action: Through his constant fight at the congressional level to prevent tax increases on American families and small business owners, Chicago expansion and modernization support, lengths to open the states’ export opportunities to rapidly growing consumer markets, and investments in alternative energy; Kirk will reduce the financial burdens, create more job openings, and get Illinois working again.
Health Care
Stance:
Plan of Action:
Kids Come First
Stance:
Plan of Action:
National Security
Stance:
Plan of Action:
Veterans
Stance:
Plan of Action:
ALEXI GIANNOULIAS Economy Education Energy and Climate Change Foreign Policy Health Care Immigration LGBT Equality Arts and Culture Reforming Washington Rural Issues Veterans and Military Families Women’s Issues Urban Agenda Balancing Work and Family Supporting American Workers Transportation and Infrastructure Federal Budget
Candidate Biographies DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE ALEX GIANNOULIAS
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE MARK KIRK
Born and raised in cities throughout the state of Illinois, Congressman Mark Kirk is a well-educated individual with degrees from numerous universities across the globe, including a Masters Degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from Georgetown. This education served to benefit Kirk in his career beginning with his position on Congressman John Porter’s staff. His involvement in his predecessor's
Representing the tenth Congressional District of Illinois for a fifth term, Mark Kirk is a member in the House Appropriations Committee and a co-chairman of both the Grand Old Party Tuesday Group and the House United States-China Working Group. This congressman
Poll Numbers
Candidate to National Party Platform Position Comparison Analysis of Race
Major Issues
MARK KIRK
Agriculture
Stance:
Current Representative Mark Kirk is aimed towards fighting for Illinois farmers and increasing opportunities for the agriculture industry within that state because of the importance that major exports, manufacturing, research, and trade has on the economy of this Midwestern state. To support the farming and agriculture industry, Kirk plans to upgrade river, road, and railing systems; promote the usage and manufacturing of ethanol and biodiesel, expand exports to reach growing markets, and keep taxes low. In accomplishing these goals, Mark Kirk believes that incomes will rise and new jobs will be created throughout Illinois.
Plan of Action:
With his goals for enhancing the agriculture industry in the state of Illinois, Mark Kirk vows to modernize the lock-and-dam system of the river infrastructure to upgrade and expand the outreach of water transportation. Also aimed to boost the state’s economic status, this Republican Candidate will invest in rail and interstate highway improvements to make Illinois the national ‘economic crossroads.’ To promote ethanol and biodiesel, Kirk is planning to lower energy costs and support a permanent production tax credit for the usage of renewable hydro, wind, solar, and biomass energy. The lowering of costs for energy will spawn from Kirk’s support of nuclear energy, Yucca Mountain, offshore energy exploration, and the trans-Canada pipeline. By working with new forms of and foreign energy, the cost of the state’s energy is believed to decrease. This, along with the tax credit incentive, will make better and renewable energy more accessible and expand the economic opportunities for Illinois farmers. Beyond his support for foreign energy, Mark Kirk will also fight to expand the Foreign Commercial Service, the Small Business Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Trade Development Agency as Senator to help Illinois farmers and businesses reach and increase their prominence in growing markets. This expansion to growing markets will advance the exporting of the state and create more job opportunities for Illinoisans. Another method for increasing the availability of jobs and stimulate agricultural growth is to lower taxes o family farmers and small business owners. Kirk has already made strides towards this belief in voting to completely abolish the death tax, double the child tax credit, put an end to the Alternative Minimum Tax, and rid of the marriage penalty. Mark Kirk believes each of these actions has benefitted or will benefit the agricultural industry of Illinois with a Senator status.
Ethics and Reform
Stance:
Mark Kirk believes that Illinois was misrepresented in past years by “corrupt politicians who served themselves instead of the people of Illinois” and the state is deserving of “an experienced legislator with a proven record of reform to fight for integrity in public office.” Because of this belief, Kirk sees himself as “something different” that is needed to “restore pride in Illinois.” Not only does this candidate want to see ethics and reform in the office of Illinois’s Senator, he will work to see morality and change through the Congress and Washington.
Plan of Action:
To see political morals transform for the better, Mark Kirk will work to bring an end to “pay-to-play” politics, so as to retain a democracy, cancel pensions for Congressional members convicted of a felony by establishing a Congressional integrity and pension Forfeiture Act, support United States Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, and appoint “corruption fighters” to take his and his colleagues places should he retire from service. These actions would clean the political system within Illinois and hopefully the entire Congressional body, as well as ensure taxpayer money funds more trustworthy and moral representation.
Fiscal Responsibility
Stance:
Regarding economic responsibility, Mark Kirk is dedicated to stop runaway spending in Congress, as he has already made stride as a Congressman to eliminate unnecessary expenses. Opposing the trillion-dollar stimulus plan proposed by Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, and the $407 billion Omnibus Appropriations bill, while offering two amendments to the Pelosi bill that successfully reduced $200 million of spending, Kirk is committed to a fight for a lowering of national spending, which would entail a decrease in taxes as well.
Plan of Action:
To continue his fight against fiscal irresponsibility and ensuring that funding is spent wisely, Mark Kirk will continue his outward support of tax relief and proposals for budget reform.
Getting Illinois Working Again
Stance:
With the belief that Illinois is in an economic crisis, Illinois Senator Candidate Mark Kirk wants to rescue the state’s economy through an agenda to create jobs, support small business owners and family farmers, and unveil economic development opportunities. Kirk is against the perspective that borrowing in Washington and Springfield, as well as, increasing taxes is the answer to the current recession. Instead of creating more debt and putting the burden on the people, Mark Kirk wants to lower taxes for all Americans, modernize Chicago and transportation systems to increase investment opportunities, job openings, and farmers’ future success; support small and medium sized businesses; and create a greater amount of jobs.
Plan of Action:
Through his constant fight at the congressional level to prevent tax increases on American families and small business owners, Chicago expansion and modernization support, lengths to open the states’ export opportunities to rapidly growing consumer markets, and investments in alternative energy; Kirk will reduce the financial burdens, create more job openings, and get Illinois working again.
Health Care
Stance:
Plan of Action:
Kids Come First
Stance:
Plan of Action:
National Security
Stance:
Plan of Action:
Veterans
Stance:
Plan of Action:
ALEXI GIANNOULIAS
Economy
Education
Energy and Climate Change
Foreign Policy
Health Care
Immigration
LGBT Equality
Arts and Culture
Reforming Washington
Rural Issues
Veterans and Military Families
Women’s Issues
Urban Agenda
Balancing Work and Family
Supporting American Workers
Transportation and Infrastructure
Federal Budget
Candidate Biographies
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE ALEX GIANNOULIAS
REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE MARK KIRK
Born and raised in cities throughout the state of Illinois, Congressman Mark Kirk is a well-educated individual with degrees from numerous universities across the globe, including a Masters Degree from the London School of Economics and a law degree from Georgetown. This education served to benefit Kirk in his career beginning with his position on Congressman John Porter’s staff. His involvement in his predecessor's
Representing the tenth Congressional District of Illinois for a fifth term, Mark Kirk is a member in the House Appropriations Committee and a co-chairman of both the Grand Old Party Tuesday Group and the House United States-China Working Group. This congressman
Poll Numbers
Candidate to National Party Platform Position Comparison
Analysis of Race
Illinois Senate Race in the News
“Mark Kirk vs. Alexi Giannoulias: The nation’s slimiest Senate race?”
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/44382.html
“Tribune poll: Giannoulias, Kirk locked in tight U.S. Senate race”
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/10/tribune-poll-giannoulias-kirk-locked-in-tight-us-senate-race.html
Election Results
"Midterms 2010: Republican Mark Kirk wins Barack Obama's former Senate seat: Republican Mark Kirk has won the Illinois seat formerly held by President barack Obama in the US Senate"http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/us-politics/8106731/Midterms-2010-Republican-Mark-Kirk-wins-Barack-Obamas-former-Senate-seat.html